This invention relates to a power tool, and more particularly to a direct drive power tool, such as a jointer/planer or other rotary tool, in which the cutting head of the tool is mounted on a common shaft which also serves as the rotor shaft for the tool drive motor. Further, this invention relates to a dual power tool mounted on a single stand having a switch enabling only one tool at a time to be operated. Still further, this invention relates to a retrofit kit for permitting a tool owner to convert a single power tool into a dual power tool.
Heretofore, woodworking or wood cutting machines, such as jointer/planers or the like, were typically indirectly driven by means of an electric motor offset from the tool and interconnected to the cutting head by means of a V-belt and pulley drive or the like. These indirectly driven power tools required a considerable volume and were not compact. Additionally, they required extensive safety guards or shields so as to protect the user against injury which may be caused by the moving belts and pulleys. Still further, environments in which woodworking tools as used typically have large quantities of airborne dirt and debris (e.g., saw dust and chips). Moreover, since the electric motor driving the power tool is oftentimes mounted below the cutting tool of the power tool, the debris falls down onto the motor and, due to the ventilating system within the motor, is drawn into the motor causing problems with the motor bearings and also with other rotating parts within the motor. In the interest of cost savings, the electric motors power in many power tools, particularly for home workshop use, are open, ventilated motors and thus are even more susceptible to airborne dirt.
In many home woodworking shops floor space is limited. Heretofore, large power tools, such as table saws and jointer/planers, were supported on separate, stand-alone support stands. Because of the size requirements of these larger tools, particularly with indirect drive motors, and also because of the necessity of having sufficient work space around each of the tools, the home workshop hobbist required considerable additional floor space in his workshop before he could add an additional power tool. Furthermore, since certain power tools, such as a jointer/planer, are not constantly used, and because their purchase price is relatively high, many home workshop owners had difficulty in justifying the cost of such a tool, even though the new tool would greatly enhance their woodworking capabilities.
As will be pointed out hereinafter, this invention includes the provision of mounting two power tools, such as a table saw and a jointer/planer, on a common stand thereby to minimize the cost and work space of the two power tools. However, when two such tools are mounted on a common stand it is an important safety consideration that one of the tools be positively disabled (i.e., inoperable) while work is being performed on the other tool.